John Piper: Sharing God's glory with your kids
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| StJohnsAshfield StainedGlass JohnTheBaptist Paul (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate. They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.
As parents, we do many things for our children. We feed, clothe, shelter, and nurture them. We provide for them, guide them, and prepare them for adulthood.
But out of all the things we do as parents, one of the greatest and most important things we must do is show our children the glory of God.
We need to recount to them his glorious deeds. We need to proclaim to them his wonders and show them his goodness. We need to teach them that they were created to be in communion with him, that he is the only one who can fill their empty hearts, and that their greatest joy is found in him alone.
Nothing Else Will Satisfy
David wrote that the one place he most wanted to be was in God’s presence. “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple” (Psalm 27:4).
We have the privilege of showing our children that everything in life pales in comparison to enjoying God and being in his presence. Everything else in life will let us down, break, or turn out to be less than we expected, but God always satisfies.
In our fallen nature, the human heart is an idol-making factory. We seek counterfeit joys and false substitutes to meet the needs that only God can provide. This is true for our children as well.
Every day their hearts are bombarded with a tempting array of things, experiences, and desires that promise to fulfill their longings. Toys, sports, affirmation, popularity, grades, friends, reputation — all these things are potential idols in our children’s hearts. As parents, we want to teach our children that their sinful hearts will seek out these substitutes. We want to help them identify the idols in their lives. We also long to show them over and over that God alone is their greatest treasure and desire.
Three Ways to Show Our Children His Glory
Every day there are new opportunities for us to show our children the wonder and glory of God and how all counterfeit substitutes fail in comparison. Here are a few ways we can do that:
David wrote that the one place he most wanted to be was in God’s presence. “One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple” (Psalm 27:4).
We have the privilege of showing our children that everything in life pales in comparison to enjoying God and being in his presence. Everything else in life will let us down, break, or turn out to be less than we expected, but God always satisfies.
In our fallen nature, the human heart is an idol-making factory. We seek counterfeit joys and false substitutes to meet the needs that only God can provide. This is true for our children as well.
Every day their hearts are bombarded with a tempting array of things, experiences, and desires that promise to fulfill their longings. Toys, sports, affirmation, popularity, grades, friends, reputation — all these things are potential idols in our children’s hearts. As parents, we want to teach our children that their sinful hearts will seek out these substitutes. We want to help them identify the idols in their lives. We also long to show them over and over that God alone is their greatest treasure and desire.
Three Ways to Show Our Children His Glory
Every day there are new opportunities for us to show our children the wonder and glory of God and how all counterfeit substitutes fail in comparison. Here are a few ways we can do that:
1. Creation
Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” God’s glory is displayed in all he has made.
Show your children the amazing wonders he has made from the curious creatures that crawl along the ground to the stars in the sky. Show them his creativity, his majesty, and his might in making all that we see by the power of just his word.
Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” God’s glory is displayed in all he has made.
Show your children the amazing wonders he has made from the curious creatures that crawl along the ground to the stars in the sky. Show them his creativity, his majesty, and his might in making all that we see by the power of just his word.
2. In Their Problems
In every problem our children encounter in life, we can show them the glory and wonder of God. We can show them that he alone provides the help they need for their problems. Only he can meet their greatest need — salvation from sin. As Paul wrote, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).
Teach them what Christ has done for them. Show them God’s promises in Scripture for those who believe. Discuss the many blessings and riches we have through Christ. Teach them that because of Christ, they have complete and full access to God. They can come to him anytime and anywhere (Hebrews 4:16). He hears them and knows what’s on their hearts and what they need before they speak it.
In every problem our children encounter in life, we can show them the glory and wonder of God. We can show them that he alone provides the help they need for their problems. Only he can meet their greatest need — salvation from sin. As Paul wrote, “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).
Teach them what Christ has done for them. Show them God’s promises in Scripture for those who believe. Discuss the many blessings and riches we have through Christ. Teach them that because of Christ, they have complete and full access to God. They can come to him anytime and anywhere (Hebrews 4:16). He hears them and knows what’s on their hearts and what they need before they speak it.
3. The Character of God
Psalm 9:10 says that those who know God’s name trust in him. Knowing God, who he is, and what he has done, helps us trust in him.
Show your children who God is. Teach them about his holiness, power, grace, mercy, truth, wisdom, and justice. Study the word together and focus on his character. Learn the different names for God throughout Scripture and discuss what they mean.
Psalm 9:10 says that those who know God’s name trust in him. Knowing God, who he is, and what he has done, helps us trust in him.
Show your children who God is. Teach them about his holiness, power, grace, mercy, truth, wisdom, and justice. Study the word together and focus on his character. Learn the different names for God throughout Scripture and discuss what they mean.
